I've caught some good shows over the past week and figured I'd spread the word. Last Thursday, I saw Irish band Bell at a Rolling Stone party. I really dig the Bell boys--it all started...

I’ve caught some good shows over the past week and figured I’d spread the word. Last Thursday, I saw Irish band Bell at a Rolling Stone party. I really dig the Bell boys--it all started...

I’ve caught some good shows over the past week and figured I’d spread the word.

Last Thursday, I saw Irish band Bell at a Rolling Stone party. I really dig the Bell boys--it all started when I heard their terrificly depressing song "Eve, the Apple of My Eye" years ago on the O.C. I bought their amazing CD Music in Mouth and have been following them ever since. The band--which used to be called Juniper before then-lead-singer Damien Rice went off on his own--just released another solid album, Flock. Bonus: It was lead singer Paul Noonan’s birthday.

Sunday I was at the sold-out Bowery Ballroom to see Jacksonville, Florida’s Black Kids. I was very excited to hear "I’m Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How to Dance with You" and it was, as expected, great live. Bonus: For about five minutes, I stood next to David Cross in the crowd. Surprising--but cool.

Last night, I saw Augustana at the Bowery Ballroom (which is apparently my second home of late.) You guys know I like this band a lot. When I saw them play songs off their new album, Can’t Love, Can’t Hurt in Austin for SXSW, I was really impressed at how great they sounded. So I was really really excited for this also-sold-out show. Bonus: Openers David Ford and Wild Sweet Orange are pretty terrific too.